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Chicago police on hot seat after deadly shootings

Andres Brown a member of a non-profit group called "I Grow Chicago," patrols an intersection June 24 where an IGC yoga class is taking place on the often violent streets of Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.(Photo: M. Spencer Green, AP)

The holiday weekend was a brutal one in shooting-weary Chicago, where police officers were involved in five shootings that left two people dead and plenty of controversy.

The civilians who were killed had pointed guns at the officers, the police department said in separate statements. Investigations remained underway. The police shootings were part of a larger picture of violence that saw dozens of people shot in the city over the long weekend.

Last week, police reported that the number of homicides in Chicago fell during the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, but the total number of people shot and the number of shooting incidents climbed.

Gun violence statistics in Chicago have drawn widespread media attention since 2012, when Chicago was the only city in the nation to record more than 500 homicides. This year, Chicago had 172 homicides through June 30 — nine fewer than the same period last year and 82 fewer than during the first six months of 2012.

The holiday weekend's first fatal police shooting came after officers responded to a call of shots being fired Saturday evening. A police statement said officers arrived to find a man with a gun. After a pursuit on foot, the "offender turned and pointed a weapon in the direction of the pursing officers. Fearing for their lives and the lives of their partners, officers discharged their weapons."

The description of the shooting drew outrage from some friends and family members at the scene, who told the Chicago Tribune that victim Warren Robinson would have turned 17 on Tuesday. They said they had heard conflicting versions of what happened and questioned the police account.

Neighbor Keiyana Hawkins told the Tribune she went outside to search for her children after she heard gunfire. She said she saw a young man running and surrendering with raised hands when a police officer opened fire.

The other fatal shooting by police began Friday night when police saw a man with "an object" in his waistband, a police report said. When officers approached, the man fled. The report said: "A foot pursuit ensued. The offender turned and pointed a large revolver at the officer. As a result of this action the officer, discharged his weapon striking the offender."

Three other people were injured in police shootings Friday and Saturday, police said.

The Tribune reported that, including the police shootings, more than 50 people were wounded or killed in weekend gun violence as of early Sunday.